Hostage
by DaLiza
Summary: A man holding Brennan hostage will kill her unless Booth steals evidence from the FBI. Will Booth be forced to betray the FBI to save the woman he loves?
1. Chapter 1

Dedicated FBI agent Seeley Booth was asleep at his desk. He had put in many overtime hours over the past few weeks in preparation for the trial of Carlo Romano, head of the Romano crime family. Bones had noticed how tired he had been lately, and she kept urging him to get more sleep, but he hadn't taken her advice. He was physically and mentally exhausted, but every time he was tempted to sleep he had thought of his partner and Agent Kenton. _That sonofabitch was working for the Romanos and almost killed Bones so she wouldn't uncover his secret_, he thought. _Now he's going to testify against them to save his own ass. __The DA may have given him immunity, but there's no way in hell I'm letting any of the Romanos escape punishment. Carlo hired one of the best lawyers in D.C. He'll attack Kenton's testimony and the forensic evidence, so I need to make sure our case is rock solid. If that means not sleeping enough for a few weeks, it's a price I'm willing to pay._ While Booth's mind was determined, his body, however, could no longer ignore its severe fatigue. Despite his best efforts to stay awake and focused, he had fallen asleep while doing paperwork.

He should have been at peace, enjoying these extra moments of rest. Instead a familiar nightmare tormented him. He and Hodgins were in the abandoned building where Kenton had taken Bones. The building was an immense labyrinth of long, empty hallways. _Which way do we go? _Hodgins asked when their path forked. _You go left, I'll go right, _Booth answered.Hodgins nodded and sprinted down the left path, while Booth limped along the right, his gun in his hand. Suddenly a gunshot echoed in the hallway. _BOOTH! _Hodgins shouted. _Over here! _Booth walked towards Hodgins as fast as his wounded limbs would let him, but it was too late. Brennan was dead, and Kenton was about to gouge out her eyes with a key. Booth shot him in the head. He was dead after one shot, but Booth, upset that he could only kill the bastard once, fired five more. Walking over Kenton's corpse, he pulled Brennan off of the hook and held her limp body in his arms. His tears ran down his face and fell upon hers. He shouted to the heavens, cursing Kenton, himself for not figuring it out earlier and God for letting this happen. He kissed her lips softly; they were still warm. Yet she would never kiss him back. She would never know how much he loved her. _You were supposed to protect her, _his mind taunted. _But instead you delivered her to her killer. _

His ringing cell phone mercifully snatched him from his nightmare. He opened his eyes and picked up the phone. The caller ID said "Bones". Booth smiled as he felt his breathing and heartbeat return to normal. _It wasn't real. She didn't die. I got there in time and saved her. She's fine. She's safe at the lab right now. I can still tell her that I'm madly in love with her...tomorrow. Next week. Soon. _"I'm so glad you called, Bones."

"Bones?" A strange male voice replied. "Interesting nickname. It may be very fitting, though, because the next time you see her, her bones may be all that's left."

_Please tell me I haven't woken up yet. This has to be an extension of my nightmare. _He punched his desk hard. The pain in his knuckles told him he wasn't dreaming. Rage filled his heart. _Don't people know by now not to threaten Bones? When I find this guy he's dead. _"Who is this?"

"I'm the man who has your partner."

Adrenaline surged through Booth's veins. He was more awake now than he had been in weeks. He wanted to kill this man with his bare hands, but he knew he needed to remain calm; his partner's life depended on it. "If that's true, let me talk to her."

"Of course. Say hello to your partner, Dr. Brennan."

A few agonizing seconds passed, then Booth heard her voice. "Booth, I--"

"Okay. You heard her," Brennan's abductor interrupted. "She's alive and unharmed. If you want her to stay that way, you're going to do exactly what I tell you."

"How much do you want?" Booth asked. _Whatever it is, Hodgins can pay it._

The man chuckled. "I have more money than you could make in a dozen lifetimes as a FBI agent. What I want is more valuable than money, but it won't cost you a thing. You bring me what I ask, and you can have your precious Bones back. Understood?"

Booth clenched his fists. His knuckles still ached from punching the desk, but he needed to hit something else. "Yes," he answered through gritted teeth.

"Good. Bring me all the evidence you're planning to use against Carlo Romano at his trial. I want every document, every scrap of forensic evidence, everything– and you will personally hand over Jamie Kenton."

Booth's mind reeled. This guy was asking him to steal evidence and let a killer go free. How could he live with himself? Yet the alternative was equally unacceptable- he couldn't let Brennan be killed. She was his best friend and his partner, and someday he hoped she would be even more. She wasn't just a part of his life; she was his _whole_ life. How could he live without her at his side? He couldn't. He wouldn't. Until he had a better idea, he had to play along. Getting the physical evidence wouldn't be a problem, but Kenton was another matter. "Kenton's in protective custody. I don't know where he is."

"You're FBI. You can find out. I'm sure I don't need to warn you that if you tell anyone about this, you'll never see her again. This time tomorrow I'll call you and tell you where to bring everything. Goodbye, Agent Booth." The man hung up the phone.

Booth closed his phone and threw it to the floor. He turned to the wall behind his desk and slammed his fist into it. The man whose office was on the other side of that wall, Agent Jim Ryan, came running. "Are you okay, Booth?"

_No, I'm not okay. Someone has my partner and he's going to kill her if I don't betray the FBI. _"I'm fine."

"Really?" Agent Ryan knew Booth too well to believe his lie. "I asked because it sounded like you just punched the wall."

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"You got woman troubles? Is your partner giving you a hard time?" There were rumors that Booth and the doctor were more than partners, but Ryan wasn't one to trust in gossip.

"No, it's not that." _I wish I could tell you, but I can't take the chance. _

"Well, I don't want to pry, but if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."

Booth considered his offer. "There is one thing. Do you know where they're keeping Kenton?"

**Thanks for reading! Please let me know if you think this is worthy of continuing.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to sarali1983, jade254, Aria-wolfstar, Hopeless Heart, Lifeguard, LittleMissRandom-x, shrimps1995, and DemonicAyngel for your reviews of Ch.1; you guys rock!**

Agent Ryan stood silently, giving no indication that he was going to respond to Booth's question.

"Jim, do you know where they're keeping Kenton?" Booth asked again.

Agent Ryan lowered his eyes, unable to meet Booth's fierce gaze. "Sorry, man. I can't tell you that."

Booth resisted the urge to strangle him. He had known Ryan for years. He was a good guy and a good friend. Surely he could be convinced to give up Kenton's location. "Why not?"

Ryan slowly lifted his head to look at Booth. "Cullen said that no one could tell you where he was," he answered apologetically. "You understand."

"No, I don't understand," Booth shot back angrily. _My boss ordered my colleagues to keep this a secret from me_? _All my hard work, everything I've done for the Bureau, and he doesn't trust me? _

"Come on, Booth. Kenton tried to kill your partner. It's only natural that you'd want revenge. If someone went after my partner, I'd want him dead too."

"I don't want to kill him." _I just need him to get my partner back. Of course, whoever I hand him over to will probably kill him so he can't testify. I'd be helping to silence a witness in a federal court case. Maybe he deserves to die for trying to harm my Bones, but can I really deliver him to his executioner?_ _I'll worry about that later._

"What do you want then? Just to smack him around a bit?" He leaned in close to Booth and whispered conspiratorially. "Don't you think our guys did that already? You have a lot of friends here, Booth. We all know how much you care about Dr. Brennan. Believe me, we made Kenton suffer for what he did to her."

Booth knew that Ryan was trying to make him feel better, but his words had the opposite effect. Dark, disturbing thoughts were besieging his mind. _We all know how much you care about Dr. Brennan, _he repeated in his head. _Is someone from the FBI responsible for Brennan's kidnapping? Someone who knew that I would do anything to protect her?_ _Maybe Kenton's not the only traitor around here. _"What do people say about me and Brennan?"

Ryan shifted his feet uncomfortably. "I don't like to repeat gossip."

"I know, and I respect you for it, but I need to know. Please, Jim."

"You're not going to like it. You promise not to shoot the messenger?"

"I promise."

"Alright. They're saying that you love her. A couple guys are taking bets on when you two will get together. Others think that you're already together and hiding it. For days after the Kenton incident, people marveled at how you broke out of the hospital to save her and how you were holding her after you shot him. Then there was the time she and the other doctor were buried alive. They talked about how you raced down a hill and dug her out with your bare hands. People compare you two to Mulder and Scully from the X-Files."

_Great. Just great. My colleagues are gossiping about me and Bones like we're some television couple. _"When you say 'people', are you talking about a few specific individuals, or--"

"A lot of people," Ryan interrupted. "It's a fairly common topic for discussion. I'm sorry, Seeley. Your relationship with Dr. Brennan shouldn't be anyone else's business."

"Have you heard any particular agents express a special interest in my partner?"

"Sully."

_That bastard_. _He almost took Bones away from me. I hope his stupid boat sinks._ "Anyone else?" Seeing Ryan's reluctance, he added, "I wouldn't be asking if it weren't important. Trust me on that."

"I've heard Agent Morris repeatedly express admiration for your partner's...uh...physical features."

"Tom Morris?"_He's lucky that she didn't hear him. She'd break his arm._

"Yeah."

"Have you ever heard Morris or any other agent make threats against her?"

"What? Of course not! If I heard someone threaten Dr. Brennan I would tell you immediately." Ryan paused as the pieces fell into place. "That's why you punched the wall, isn't it? Someone threatened her."

"Yes," Booth admitted. "That's why I need to know where Kenton is. I believe he has information that could save my partner's life."

"Cullen would rip my head off if he found out I told you."

"No one needs to know that you were the one to tell me. Come on, Jim. We've known each other for what, five years now? In all that time I've never asked you for a favor. But I need one now. Please. Please help me save her." He heard the desperation in his voice and hated it.

"I'm sorry, Booth." As Ryan spoke he took his notepad out of his pocket and began to write. "I can't help you." He handed Booth a piece of paper with an address written on it. "I have to go."

Booth looked at the address and put the paper in his pants pocket. "Okay. Thanks anyway."

"Anytime, Booth. Good luck." He winked at Booth and walked out of the office.

_What now? _Booth thought. _I go to this address and politely ask the agents guarding Kenton if I can borrow him for a while_?_ No, I'll need a good story. I'll think of something in the car._

On his way down the hall he passed Agent Morris' office. The door was open and Morris was sitting at his desk. Remembering what Ryan had said, Booth stopped for a moment and glared at his fellow agent.

Morris looked up and saw Booth giving him a look of death. "Can I help you with something, Booth?" He asked nervously.

"No, no I'm fine," he said, his voice dripping with venom. _Get over it, _he chastised himself. _You don't have time for this right now._ "See you around."

_Shit. Booth's pissed at me. I don't want a former sniper pissed at me. _"Wait. Did I do something wrong?"

Booth stared at him as if he were a suspect. "What do you think?"

"I think your partner told you that I was hitting on her. I'm sorry if I crossed the line, but I didn't think you two were dating. Are you?" _If you are, I owe Agent Young fifty bucks._

Booth ignored the question. Jim was right; his relationship with Bones shouldn't be anyone else's business. "Yeah, she told me," he lied. _She probably didn't even know you were hitting on her. _"Why don't you tell me your side of the story."

"It was last week, when you brought in the suspect in the Adams case. I was walking by the interrogation room and I saw her watching you through the glass. I started a conversation with her. I told her how good she looked and all that other stuff women like to hear, but she wasn't interested in me. She was too busy watching you work. You're a lucky man, Booth. She loves you very much."

That was the last thing Booth expected him to say. "Why...why do you say that?"

_Wow. He really doesn't know. _"I'm a profiler, Booth. It's my job to study human behavior. I could tell she loved you by the way she was looking at you."

"Oh." _Brilliant answer, Booth. _"Well, no hard feelings, okay? I'll...talk to you later." He hurried out of Morris' office and sprinted down the hall. _Is it true? _He wondered as he headed to his car. _Does Bones really love me as much as I love her? There's only one way to find out- I have to ask her, and to do that I need Kenton to get her back _He got in his car and drove toward the address Ryan had given him. _I swear to God that I will save you, Bones... no matter what it takes._

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Many thanks to Sarali1983, Lifeguard, Aria-wolfstar, Jade254, ilovebones, DemonicAyngel, LittleMissRandom-x and Hopeless Heart for your reviews of Ch.2. Wishing you all Booth-filled dreams!**

As Temperance Brennan sat in the darkness, blindfolded, gagged, and tied to a chair, one thought repeated itself endlessly in her mind: _Booth will save me; he always does_. After all, he had shot Kenton before he could shoot her. He had pulled her to freedom when she and Hodgins had been buried. She recalled the moments after the explosion they had set off to free themselves. She remembered suddenly being outside the car and desperately trying to claw her way to the surface. She remembered the feel of a strong hand pulling her up; she had known instantly that it was Booth. She didn't like depending on other people, but she knew that she could depend on him. She knew that he would do anything to protect her...and that's what scared her. _I can't let him save me this time._

_They want him to steal evidence and take Kenton out of protective custody. If he gets caught, the FBI will fire him. Booth loves being a FBI agent. He would be devastated if_ _that was taken away from him. They could even put him in prison. He wouldn't be able to see Parker grow up! That would destroy him. Booth is a great man. He's the best man I've ever known; I can't let him_ _ruin his career or his life for me. __I have to get out of here myself._ _I'm not some helpless damsel in distress; I'll find a way._

_I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this mess, Booth. I would have fought my kidnapper if I'd had the chance, you know I would have, but he broke into my apartment when I was asleep. I was having a wonderful dream. _She blushed at the memory._ I was dreaming about you. You were holding me and kissing me and then we were in bed together. I'd never had a dream like that before. Everything felt so perfect, but then I woke up. I woke up because someone was lifting me out of bed. I didn't believe it. I thought that maybe I was still dreaming. It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening, but by then it was too late. He jabbed a needle in my arm and I lost consciousness. When I woke up again, everything was dark and I couldn't move. I could feel the blindfold over my eyes and the ropes against my skin. I tried not to panic, but I admit I was scared. I wondered what was going to happen to me._

_Then I heard him on the phone telling you that he was going to kill me. When he told me to say hi to you, I wanted to tell you how sorry I was. I know how worried you must be, and I hate to think of you in pain. I won't give up, Booth. I'm going to do everything I can to get back to you. I want to feel your arms around me again; I want to lose myself in your embrace. I've suspected it for some time, but the dream confirmed it. I'm in love with you, and I think you love me too. I'm going to tell you how I feel about you...as soon as I escape._

_There's just one problem. I can't see anything, but I can feel that we're moving, I can hear birds and smell the salty air. I'm clearly on a boat, and we could be hundreds of miles from shore. Where exactly am I going to escape to? But don't worry, Booth, I'll think of something. I won't rest until I see you again._

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As Booth drove he rehearsed what he was going to say to the agents guarding Kenton. _What if they don't believe me? What if they call the Bureau to check my story? No, stop thinking like that. This will work. Failure is not an option, not when my partner's life is in danger._

He pulled up to the safehouse, forcing himself to take a deep breath before getting out of the car. _I can do this, _he told himself. _For Bones I can do anything._

He walked up to the front door and knocked loudly. "Identify yourself," demanded a voice from inside.

"Agent Seeley Booth," he answered. "I want to speak to the agent in charge." A minute later an agent Booth recognized opened the door. "Hello, Agent Foster. Nice to see you again."

Foster didn't look too happy to see him. "Booth, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm doing you a favor. This morning I received an anonymous call. The caller said that Kenton deserved to die for what he did to my partner and then he gave me this address. I think one of the agents here tipped me off. Who else would know?"

Foster studied Booth's face, looking for any sign of deception. "I don't believe anyone here would have called you."

"I never would have believed that Kenton was a traitor. Did you ever suspect him?"

"No."

"Then isn't it possible we may have another traitor in our midst? Someone else you didn't suspect?"

Foster frowned at the implication. "It's possible."

"The fact that I'm standing here talking to you proves that this location has been compromised. Cullen authorized me to take Kenton to another safehouse."

"Why didn't Cullen call me then?"

"Because he didn't know who the leak was. He couldn't risk informing the wrong person."

"So you expect me to let you walk out of here with Kenton? No way, Booth. Until I hear the word from Cullen personally, Kenton stays here."

Booth opened his mouth to argue but closed it when he heard a familiar voice.

"Who are you talking to, Foster?" Kenton called out. When he didn't receive an answer, he walked to the door and saw Booth. "Agent Booth! Long time, no see. How's Doctor Brennan? Safe and sound, I hope. You sleep with her yet, or are you still too much of a wimp to make your move?"

Booth lost it. That bastard had no right to talk about his partner. "You sonofabitch!" He tackled Kenton and started punching his miserable face. "I trusted you to protect her!"

"Knock it off!" Foster yelled. After hearing Foster's shout, two other agents came running. Together they managed to separate Booth from Kenton. Booth was pleased to see that he had given him a bloody nose.

"Get out of here, Booth," Foster ordered. "Agent Lombard will escort you to your car."

"That won't be necessary," Booth answered. He turned around and walked out of the house before Foster could protest.

_That went well, _Booth thought sarcastically. _Great job, Booth. What are you going to do now? Are you going to go back there in the dead of night and kidnap him? What if your colleagues discover you? Are you willing to use force? Will you fight them? _

_I'm so sorry, Bones. I screwed up big time. But don't worry; I'm not giving up. I won't rest until I see you again. _

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to Aria-wolfstar, Lifeguard, jade254 and CalleighAryn for your reviews of Ch.3; I am very grateful for your support. :)**

It was lonely in the darkness, and the silence surrounding her was almost overwhelming. The last time she had been kidnapped, she had Hodgins to talk to.The time before that, when Kenton had taken her, he had been all too eager to talk. He had wanted her to understand why he had to kill her.When she had been kidnapped in El Salvador, they had come into her cell repeatedly to threaten her. Her current kidnapper, however, was apparently not the talkative type. She had heard his footsteps drawing close a few times in the past few hours--apparently he was checking in on her_-- _but he hadn't said a word. She needed to change that. She needed to get him to talk; he might let something slip that could help her plan her escape.

Some time passed, and she heard the footsteps again. They came closer and closer, bringing the smell of fish with them. She felt her gag being removed. "Open your mouth, Dr. Brennan. It's time to eat."

"Can you take my blindfold off so I can see what I'm eating? Please?" She said in an overly sweet, feminine voice. If she could make him believe she really was a damsel in distress, he might lower his guard.

The man sighed. "Sorry, Dr. Brennan. I can't do that." She thought that he really did sound sorry. "Please open your mouth so I can feed you."

She wasn't sure if she should accept what he was offering. He had no reason to poison her, but the food could contain drugs that would knock her out. If she refused to eat, he would probably leave. On the other hand, if she did as he asked, it would give her an opportunity to question him. She had watched Booth question people for two years now; this was the perfect time to test her own skills. She opened her mouth and her kidnapper placed a piece of fish inside.As she chewed, she was surprised to discover that it tasted good. "You're a good cook," she said.

He laughed. "You're trying to butter me up so I'll let you go."

"I don't know what means."

"It means flattery will get you nowhere. Don't worry, Dr. Brennan. If all goes as planned, you'll be back with your boyfriend tomorrow."

She blushed. "Booth's not my boyfriend."

"Really? That's not what I heard."

"Anthropologically, gossip is not a good source of information."

"Yeah. Whatever."

She ate in silence for a few minutes, wondering what to say next. _What would Booth say? _She asked herself. Then she remembered a piece of advice both Booth and Angela had given her: if you want people to reveal something personal about themselves, offer up something personal in return. "I used to go fishing with my father and brother."

"Before they disappeared," he added.

"How did you know that?"

"It's what I've heard," he answered.

"From who? Who's telling you these things about me?"

"No one," he answered quickly. "Goodbye, Dr. Brennan."

_I can't let him leave! _" Wait! I...have to go to the bathroom. Can you untie me? Pretty please?" She used the same feminine voice as before. Sensing his reluctance, she added, "We're on a boat. Where could I go?"

He was silent for a minute as he considered whether or not he could trust her. "Alright. I'll untie you, but the blindfold stays on. If you try anything, I'll make sure that the rest of your stay here is very unpleasant." He untied the ropes binding her to the chair, but left the ropes around her wrists. Then he pulled her to her feet and placed a guiding hand on the small of her back.

_That's where Booth usually puts his hand, _she realized.When Booth did it, she knew it was a manifestation of his alpha-male desire to show other males that she was his. She had resented it at first, but over the years she had come to understand that, for Booth, it was also a sign of affection. Now she looked forward to his touch; it was familiar and comforting and sensual all at the same time. Having this strange man touch her there made her miss Booth even more. She wouldn't waste this opportunity to get back to him.

She let her kidnapper lead her to the bathroom, but on the way back she whirled around suddenly to kick him. She felt her foot make contact with his chest and heard him gasp in pain. She kicked him again before he had the chance to recover, sending him to the floor. She turned to run, but he grabbed her leg, pulling her down to the floor with him.

"Bad choice, Dr. Brennan," he said as he got to his feet.

She lay still for a few moments, letting him think she was defeated, but when she felt him getting close she wrapped both of her legs around one of his and squeezed hard, bringing him to his knees. "I could use some help here!" He cried out. She untangled her legs from his and started to run.

She heard someone running towards her. She prepared herself to fight this second person, but she didn't get the chance. She felt the familiar jab of a needle in her arm and the same drugs she had been given when she was snatched from her bedroom coursed through her veins. As she began to lose consciousness, her last thoughts were of Booth.

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_This time I will tell them the truth, _Booth decided a few hours after his disastrous attempt to get Kenton out of the safehouse, now that he had had the chance to calm down and think rationally again. He was driving back there, determined to do things right this time. _I'll tell_ _Foster that my partner has been kidnapped and I need Kenton to get her back. Yet I won't let Kenton be killed_. _I'll protect him--even though he's a treacherous bastard who tried to kill the woman I love–because his testimony will_ _put the Romanos away for life._

As he drove, however, he started having second thoughts._ Telling the truth could get Bones killed. He said that if I told anyone, I would never see her again. It's entirely possible that the Romanos have other agents on their payroll_; _what if they tell the Romanos what I've done? God, if something happens to Bones, I'll never forgive myself._ _When we first started working together, I swore that I would always keep her safe. I can't fail her now, not after everything we've been through together. _

_I'll be at the safehouse soon; I need to make a decision. What would Bones do? She'd use her head, not her heart. She'd make the logical decision. So what is the logical decision? Come on, Booth. You've worked with squints for two years now. What would a squint do? _He thought about it for several minutes before reaching a conclusion. _I have to tell the truth. It's the only way. I can't lie to Foster again, and I won't take Kenton by force. Attacking an enemy is one thing, but I can't attack my colleagues._

He arrived at the safehouse. He pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and walked to the front door, just as he had done a few hours earlier. He knocked loudly, but this time there was no response. No one asked him to identify himself, no one came to the door. Booth knew in his gut that something was wrong. He tried to open the door, but it was locked, so he kicked it in. His gun drawn, he cautiously moved through the house, looking for any sign of life but finding none. After thoroughly checking every room, he had to accept the facts: Kenton and the agents guarding him were gone, along with all of their belongings. There was nothing in the house to suggest that anyone had ever lived there.

_They must have moved him to another safehouse. Oh god, I've missed my chance. If I can't give them Kenton, they'll kill her! They'll kill my Bones! No, no, I won't let that happen. Someone must know where the new safehouse is. I'll keep asking until someone tells me._

Booth called Agent Ryan first, but when Ryan couldn't help him he called every other agent he could trust. He begged them to help him, not caring anymore how desperate he sounded. When begging didn't work, he resorted to bargaining or, in a couple cases, threats. Yet it was all for naught. No one could tell him where Kenton had been taken.

_I may not be able to give them Kenton, _he finally admitted to myself. _But I can still give them the physical evidence...or at least they'll think it's the physical evidence._

He drove to the Jeffersonian, thrilled that he finally had a plan of action. As he walked into the lab, he automatically looked for Bones, his heart sinking when he remembered that she wasn't there.

"Hey Booth!" Angela shouted. When she approached him, she was shocked to see that the normally gorgeous agent looked terrible. "Are you okay?"

"No," he answered.

_There can only be one reason why he looks like such a mess. _"Did something happen to Brennan? I haven't seen her all day, and she's not answering her cell."

He hated to be the bearer of bad news, but he had to tell her. "You're right, Angela. Something did happen to her. She's been kidnapped."

"What? Again?! Oh god, oh god--"

Booth put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Angela. I'm going to get her back, but I need you and Zack and Hodgins to help me."

"Of course. We'll do everything we can."

"I know you will." _I just hope it will be enough._

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much to Lifeguard, jade254, Hopeless Heart, xxhopexx, Aria-wolfstar, DemonicAyngel, and my wonderful friend CalleighAryn for your reviews of Ch.4. Hope you enjoy!**

As Temperance Brennan's consciousness slowly returned, she became aware that she was once again bound, blindfolded and gagged–and someone was in the room with her. She heard footsteps approaching, then felt fingers on her throat. Her first thought was that she was going to be strangled. Yet the fingers didn't try to squeeze the life out of her. Instead they rested gently on her neck, feeling her pulse. Apparently satisfied that she was alive, the owner of the fingers pulled them back. _He's not going to kill me now, _she thought. _Which means I still have time to escape._

"How are you feeling, Dr. Brennan?" A kind voice asked. He removed her gag so she could answer.

Temperance's mind was still fuzzy, but she recognized the voice. This was the man who had fed her, the one who had talked to her. _How am I feeling? I've been kidnapped and drugged! I'm tied to a chair and blindfolded! What do you think? _She wanted to shout this at him, but she knew it wouldn't do her any good. He would be more likely to give her information if she remained civil. "I've been better. How long was I unconscious?"

"All night," he answered. "It's morning now. Can I offer you some food and water?"

"Yes, thank you." She opened her mouth and he fed her.

"Why are you being nice to me?" She asked when she had finished eating. "You said that if I tried anything you--"

"I know, but it was just talk. I don't want to hurt you, Dr. Brennan." He laughed softly. "I should have known that you would try to escape. After all, it's what Kathy Reichs would do."

She was surprised to hear him mention the name of her character. "You've read my books?"

"Many times," he said enthusiastically. "I've also read articles about you in magazines and online; that's how I knew about your family. I didn't want to tell you that earlier because I didn't want you to think I was some sort of deranged fan."

"Well, you did kidnap me from my bedroom. That's a little deranged."

"Yeah, I really am sorry about that, but I needed the money. Badly. And I figured, hey, it will give me a chance to meet my favorite author!"

"So you were hired to kidnap me."

"The guy said all I had to do was bring you here and make some phone calls. Speaking of phone calls, I need to call your partner and tell him the drop off point. Once he delivers the ransom, you'll be free to go."

It sounded simple enough, but Temperance had her doubts. Nothing in her life was ever simple.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth had spent the night at the Jeffersonian. Angela had tried to convince him to go home and get some sleep, but he couldn't sleep. Not when his partner was out there somewhere, being held against her will. The image of her tied up by Kenton entered his mind. Was she tied up like that now in some abandoned building? Was someone hurting her? The thought filled him with rage. _Anything they do to her I'll do to them. Nobody hurts my Bones._

His cell phone rang and he answered it immediately. "Hello?"

"Hello, Agent Booth. I trust that you're ready to get your partner back."

_Yes, I'm ready. I'm going to take her in my arms and tell her I love her and that I'm never letting her go. Then I'll find you and kill you. _"Yes."

"Good. Bring the evidence and the former Agent Kenton to Lincoln Park, by the Emancipation Memorial. When I get confirmation that these things have been delivered, I'll tell you where she is." He hung up before Booth could respond.

_Sure, no problem_..._except for the part about Kenton. _He had exhausted all of his resources trying to find Kenton and had come up with nothing. Now he was out of time. He could only hope that his plan would work. He would tell them that he had Kenton, but he wouldn't reveal his location until they revealed Brennan's. It was a risky move, but what other choice did he have? What else could he say? _I tried really, really hard, but I just couldn't find him. Can you give me my partner back anyway? Please? _No, he had to make this work- for Brennan's sake and for his. Grabbing the duffel bag filled with the fabricated evidence the squints had prepared, he set out for Lincoln Park.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Booth stood in front of the Emancipation Memorial, looking up at the statue of President Lincoln. Holding the Emancipation Proclamation in one hand, the president was standing beside a kneeling slave who had just been freed from his chains._ When this meeting is over, hopefully Brennan will have her freedom too, _he prayed.

His eyes scanned the park, studying every person he saw. There was a woman carrying a toddler, trying to get him to stop crying. Booth thought the boy looked a little like Parker at that age, and the thought made him smile. It was the first time he had smiled since Brennan had been taken. There was a young couple holding hands, looking at each other as if no one else existed. _God willing, that will be me and Brennan someday, _he thought. Several men and women were walking dogs, others were pushing strollers.

As he continued scouting the park, two men caught Booth's eye. One was reading a newspaper, the other was talking on a cell phone. His instincts told him that something was off about them. Was one of them the person he was supposed to meet? He was debating whether or not he should approach them when a man approached him. "Are you Agent Booth?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Unless he had disguised his voice, this wasn't the man who had called him.

"I was asked to pick up some things from you."

Booth gave him the duffel bag. "You'll get the other 'thing' when you tell me where she is."

"Where who is?"

If they weren't in the middle of a public park Booth would have hit him. "Don't play games with me."

"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

Booth opened his mouth to respond when he saw Newspaper and Cell Phone Man walking towards him. _What the hell is going on? _

The two men held up badges. "Agents Williams and Holland, FBI. Agent Booth, you and your friend will have to come with us."

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to caroldpb, Lifeguard, jade254, watchingthedarksky, CalleighAryn and Aria-wolfstar for your reviews of Chapter 5. They really make my day. Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter; I've had friends visiting over the past few days. Things are going to get complicated in this chapter, but all will be explained in the end. Still, if I've really confused you, let me know.**

_If they keep me here much longer I'm going to go crazy, _Temperance thought, struggling uselessly against her restraints. The fear and anxiety she had felt when she was first taken had slowly faded, giving way to a growing sense of annoyance. _I can't stay here–I have too much work to do_! _I have bones to examine and reports to file_. _I'm supposed to go to a book signing today and I'm scheduled to give an anthropology lecture next week. _She imagined Booth gently mocking her thoughts. _You're unbelievable, Bones. How many people in your situation would worry about work? Why not think about your handsome partner instead? _She pictured him flashing her his 'charm smile' as he spoke.

The image brought a brief smile to her face_. I miss you so much, Booth. I know you're doing everything you can to find me. You've never let me down before, and I know you never will. Did I ever tell you how much I appreciate that? So many people in my life have betrayed and abandoned me, but not you. You are my constant, my touchstone...my everything._

Her kidnapper's approach interrupted her thoughts. "Bad news, Dr. Brennan," he said as he removed her gag. "Agent Booth failed to deliver the ransom."

_What? When the gravedigger wanted eight million dollars for me and Hodgins, there was no way he could get the money. Yet this time they didn't want money; they wanted evidence and a witness, and Booth had access to both. Maybe he couldn't bring himself to betray the FBI. Or maybe something went wrong. God, Booth, I hope you're okay. Please be okay. _"What happened?"

"I don't know. The man who was sent to meet your partner should have called me by now. Without confirmation that the evidence was received, the man who hired me won't let you go. I'm so sorry, Dr. Brennan." Her kidnapper sounded genuine in his remorse. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"What now? Are you going to kill me?" He had been kind to her so far, but his kindness could be at an end. If the man who hired him ordered him to kill her, he might feel that he had no choice.

"No, I could never kill you, Dr. Brennan. I really am a big fan of your work. But the man who hired me--"

"You keep saying 'the man who hired me'," she interrupted. "Do you know his name?"

"No, he's never told me his name. Anyway, when I asked him if he was going to kill you, he said that he couldn't kill someone so beautiful. He said..." He broke off, not wanting to continue.

"He said what?" She prompted.

"He said that he would find a use for you."

Brennan shuddered. _He's probably not interested in my skills as a forensic anthropologist. _"Are you taking me to him now?" _If he moves me somewhere else, he'll have to untie me and I'll have another chance to escape._

"I don't have to. He's been on the boat with us all along. He's the one who injected you when you tried to escape."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I always thought that you were one of the good guys, Booth." Deputy Director Cullen said as he stared at him from across his desk. "I always admired your hard work and integrity. I thought that you were one of the best agents we had. So this morning, when we received a tip from an anonymous caller that you were planning on handing over evidence and a protected witness in Lincoln Park, I didn't want to believe it. However, yesterday I got word from Agent Foster that you were trying to take Kenton from the safehouse, so I had to take the tip seriously. I sent Agents Williams and Holland to the park, and what did they see? You handing over a duffel bag of evidence. Care to explain yourself?" _This better be good, Booth._

_I don't have time to explain myself! I need to be out there getting my partner back! But Cullen's not going to let me go until I tell him. _"It wasn't the real evidence, sir. Everything in that bag is a replica made by the squints at the Jeffersonian; the real evidence is still in the evidence locker. I needed the evidence-and Kenton-in order to save Dr. Brennan. Someone's holding her hostage somewhere, and that was the price he set for her release."

Cullen frowned. "Mr. Patterson didn't say anything about Dr. Brennan."

"Who?"

"Jon Patterson is the name of the man you met in the park. I just talked to him myself. How was this meeting arranged?"

"Brennan's kidnapper called me this morning. He told me to go to Lincoln Park and wait by the Emancipation Memorial, which I did until Patterson approached me. What did he say?"

"He said he received a phone call this morning offering him a job. He claims that he didn't know who the caller was. We checked his phone. The call came from a prepaid cell phone; we couldn't trace it. The caller said that all he had to do was go to Lincoln Park to meet you and pick up a delivery. He was given a phone number and told to call when the delivery was made."

"Sir, he needs to make that call. If the kidnapper doesn't hear from him, he'll..." Booth fought to keep his voice steady. "...he'll kill my partner." _That is, if he hasn't already. Please God, let her still be alive._

"I asked him to make the call so our guys could trace it and find out who hired him. Do you know who the number belonged to?"

From the look on Cullen's face, Booth could tell that he wasn't going to like the answer. "No. Who?"

"Me," Cullen said angrily. "Someone gave this guy the number of _my_ office phone."

The wheels of Booth's mind were spinning rapidly. _Only someone in the FBI would have access to that number. But why give out Cullen's number?_ _Why have your minion report to the Deputy Director of the FBI? _"Sir, you said the tip came in this morning. What time?"

Cullen consulted a piece of paper. "According to our records, it came in at 9:51 this morning. Why do you ask?"

Booth was silent for several moments as his brain feverishly put the pieces together. "Because I didn't even know to go to Lincoln Park until Brennan's kidnapper called me at 10:20. You can check my cell phone records. The kidnapper must have called the FBI first so agents would be there waiting when I arrived. In case you didn't believe the tip, he had a back-up plan- give Patterson your number so he would tell you about the delivery personally. Sir, I was set up! The kidnapper wanted me to get caught."

Cullen looked skeptical. "That doesn't make any sense, Booth. If you get caught, he doesn't get what he wants."

"Unless he never really wanted the evidence or Kenton after all. Maybe his real goal was to destroy my reputation and my career...Maybe he never intended to give Brennan back." He could feel tears gathering behind his eyelids, threatening to break free, and he struggled to hold them back. He didn't want to lose his job, but that was nothing compared to losing Bones._ Was I wrong to think that I could always protect her? _A few tears escaped their watery prison and fled down his cheeks.

Cullen had known Booth for years, but he had never seen him cry. _I wonder if the rumors are true, if they really are more than partners. I've never seen two people care more about each other. _"I'm sorry, Booth, but I'm afraid I have no choice here. Even if the evidence you handed over is fake, you did try to remove a witness from federal custody. I have to suspend you while this matter is investigated. In the meantime, I'll make locating Dr. Brennan our top priority. We'll find her."

Booth wiped the tears from his eyes. _No... I will._

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to watchingthedarksky, Myralee8, Sarali1983, Aria-wolfstar, jade254 and Lifeguard for your reviews of Ch.6. You guys rock!**

The hands stoking her hair woke her up. Left alone in the darkness and still feeling the effects of the drugs, Brennan had fallen asleep. In her mind's eye she was reliving a moment she had thought would be her last: Kenton was pointing his gun at her and there was nothing she could do. All her martial arts training, all her practice with firearms was useless now. She was going to die. Maybe her remains would be taken to the Jeffersonian. She imagined Zack and Hodgins looking at her bones on the examining table. She would never see them or Angela or Booth again. _Booth will think that this is his fault. If there really is some sort of all-powerful deity controlling the universe, please don't let Booth be the one to find my body; it will destroy him. _Kenton was preparing to pull the trigger. _NO!_ _I'm not ready to die yet!_

Then she heard the shot and saw Kenton fall to the floor. She turned to see where the shot had come from, and there was Booth, limping towards her. He pulled her off the hook and she threw her arms around him. He rubbed her back, telling her that it was all over and everything was alright, and she believed him. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe and loved...then the hands in her hair brought her back to reality. _I'm not safe in Booth's arms anymore. I've been kidnapped and tied up and now someone is touching me._

The stranger's hands moved from her hair to her face, caressing her cheeks and tracing the outline of her jaw. Shuddering at his touch, she turned her head away from him and tried to scream. Maybe the man who had been nice to her would hear her; maybe he would pull his employer away from her. Yet the gag effectively stifled her shouts. Now his hands were sliding down her neck and chest, stopping when they reached her breasts. _Any minute now Booth will come and shoot this bastard. Please, Booth, please come. I don't want anyone but you touching me like this. _His fingers were tracing circles around her breasts when she heard someone shouting her name. It sounded like...no, it couldn't be. That was impossible. Perhaps the drugs they had given her had distorted her senses. She convinced herself that she had imagined it when he shouted again.

"Temperance! Are you down there?" She heard footsteps running towards them, then the voice spoke again. "Step away from her."

The man touching her withdrew his hands from her chest. Temperance breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he had surrendered. She was wrong. Her assailant leapt at her would-be rescuer, pushing him to the floor. The two men rolled around on the floor, punching and kicking each other. As she listened to the fight, Temperance prayed that her rescuer would win. If not, she was certain that the man who had touched her would continue to touch her...and probably end up raping her.

Someone was walking towards her...was it her attacker or her rescuer? Something hard hit her head, and she could feel herself losing consciousness. "NO!" Her rescuer yelled. He punched her attacker, knocking him out this time, then turned to Brennan. "Temperance! Temperance! Can you hear me? Are you okay?" She heard him, but his voice sounded as if it were coming from a great distance. She couldn't answer. She could only surrender to the pain.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You shouldn't be here, Booth," Agent Williams said to him when Booth entered the Jeffersonian. "You've been suspended, remember?"

_As if I could forget it. _He had driven to the Jeffersonian after Cullen had dismissed him. "I'm not here on official business," he lied. He walked up to Zack and reluctantly placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm just visiting a friend. Right, Zack?"

Zack turned to Booth in confusion. "Uh...right."

"Sure, Booth. You get in the way of our investigation, and I'll make sure that Cullen hears about it." Williams glared at him before turning around to leave.

_Jerk, _Booth thought. He quickly removed his hand from Zack's shoulder. "Why was he here?"

"He was asking us questions about Dr. Brennan," Zack answered. "He wanted to know if she had received any threats or if she had any enemies we might know about." He lowered his head in shame. "I'm afraid that I couldn't offer him any useful information."

"It's okay. We'll get her back."

"**You'll** get her back. You always do."

Booth smiled at him. "Thanks, Zack. Did Agent Williams mention if they had any leads?"

"No, all he did was ask questions. Do you have any leads? Any evidence we could look at for you?"

"No evidence, just theories. Someone from the FBI has to be involved; no one on the outside could get Cullen's phone--" The sound of his own phone ringing made him pause. "Hold on, Zack, I gotta answer this." He opened his phone. "Booth."

"Hey Booth, it's Jim Ryan. Are you near a television?"

"I can be. Why?"

"Turn on CNN. Now."

Booth raced to an office that he knew had a tv, Zack following closely behind him. He grabbed the remote and turned to CNN. The blue banner at the bottom of the screen read: Best-Selling Author Temperance Brennan Missing. "...when she didn't show up for a book signing today," a female reporter was saying. "Her publisher is offering a reward of $10,000 for any information leading to Dr. Brennan's return. Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI tip line."

Booth's heart sank. _Now every crackpot wanting to earn some money will_ _call the FBI, and they'll have their hands full investigating hundreds of leads–almost all of which will turn out to be nothing._ "Great. Just great. This is going to be a circus."

"I know. Sorry, Booth."

"Thanks for giving me a heads up. Do you know if our guys have found anything useful yet?"

"I heard they searched her apartment, but there were no fingerprints and there was nothing on the security cameras. Any evidence they found was sent to our labs. I'll let you know if I hear anything else."

"Okay. Thanks a lot, Jim."

"No problem, Booth. Talk to you later." Both men hung up.

"What do we do now?" Zack asked.

"You can go to the FBI lab and see if you can find out what they collected from Brennan's apartment."

"Got it," Zack answered, happy to have an assignment.

_And what am I going to do? _Booth wondered. _I'm going to find out who in the FBI is behind this. Who hates me enough to want to ruin my career? I've clashed with colleagues over the years, but I can't think of anyone who has a serious grudge against me. Well, Kenton might hate me for shooting him, but he's been in FBI custody this whole time. There's no way he could have done this. Who else then? _He sat in silence for several minutes, willing his brain to come up with the answer. Nothing came.

_I wish Bones were here. She would help me figure this out. _Suddenly he had the epiphany he had been waiting for. _Maybe it's not about me at all. Maybe it's about Bones_. _Maybe someone wanted me out of the way so he could have her all to himself...someone like Tom Morris._

XXXXXXXXXX

Booth was waiting for Morris when he got home from work. "Hello, Tom."

"Hey Booth," Morris said nervously. "Is there a reason you're standing outside my apartment?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, and since I can't go to the FBI building right now, I had to come here."

"Oh, well, what do you want to talk about?"

Booth stepped dangerously close to him. "I find it interesting that last week you hit on my partner and she rejected you, and this week she happens to be missing. She hurt your ego and you snapped. You kidnapped her. You knew she loved me, so you set up the ransom to ruin my career and our partnership."

Morris backed away from him. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. I didn't have anything to do with her disappearance or you getting suspended, Booth. I swear to God."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Look, your partner's hot, but she's not worth going to jail over. At the end of the day, she's just another piece of ass."

Booth's fist connected with Morris' face instantly. "Don't you EVER insult my partner again. She's a hundred times smarter than you and a thousand times the person you will ever be." He put his hands around Morris' throat. "Tell me where she is."

Morris was crying. "I don't know. I swear on my life that I don't know."

Unfortunately, Booth believed him. He wanted it to be Tom, but his instincts were telling him otherwise. He removed his hands from his throat. "If you're lying to me, I'll--"

"I'm not lying. If I knew anything, I'd tell you."

"If I find out that you had anything to do with this, I'll kill you. Good night, Morris." He walked away, leaving Morris shaking on his doorstep. _I'm no closer to finding Brennan, _he thought sadly. _But at least I got to hit that sonofabitch._

**Thanks for reading! All comments are greatly appreciated. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Many many thanks to jade254, Aria-wolfstar, watchingthedarksky, Lifeguard and CalleighAryn for your reviews of Chapter 7. Hope you enjoy!**

This time hands rubbing her back woke her up. The touch was soothing and familiar, and her first thought was that Booth had saved her yet again. However, the voice she had heard before losing consciousness wasn't Booth's. It had sounded like her ex-boyfriend Sully. Yet that was clearly impossible. Sully was sailing in the Caribbean. The drugs must have deceived her senses; it was the only logical answer.

As her brain shook off its injury induced stupor, she realized that she was no longer confined to a chair. She was lying on something soft, a bed presumably. She tried to stretch her arms and legs, but the simple movement sent pain shooting through her limbs; after all, they had been immobile for over a day. She tried to open her eyes but, after being blindfolded for so long, the light of day was too painful to bear. After a minute, she decided to try again.

He saw her eyelids moving. "Temperance, are you awake?"

She opened her eyes fully for the first time and saw that her senses hadn't deceived her–it really was Sully! He was lying next to her in bed, his hands still on her back. "Sully, what are you doing here? Why aren't you in the Caribbean? What happened?"

He kissed her forehead. "No 'I'm happy to see you, Sully. Thanks for saving me'?"

"I am happy to see you, Sully. I'm just confused as to how you got here."

"Fair enough. I was in the Caribbean until recently, when I received a phone call from an old friend at the FBI saying that you had gone missing. I headed back to D.C right away. As soon as I arrived, I rushed to the Hoover building and asked if I could assist in the search. Since your publisher is offering a reward of $10,000 for any information leading to your return, the FBI's been swamped with calls, so they were happy to let me help. They told me that someone had called in saying they saw you being taken on a boat. Based on the time the caller gave, I asked around the marina and figured out which boat had left at that time. I pursued the boat, boarded it, fought with your kidnappers, and brought you here on the _Temperance._"

She thought his story sounded very improbable, yet here he was. "What happened to my kidnappers?"

"The Coast Guard took them into custody to deliver them to the FBI. They'll be going away for a long, long time." He pulled her into his embrace. "You're safe now. It's all over."

_Booth said the same thing when he rescued me from Kenton. I'd rather be in his arms right now. _"Does Booth know that I'm okay?"

Maybe she was imagining it–after all, she wasn't good at reading live people–but she thought that Sully's face had momentarily darkened at the mention of Booth. "Yeah, I told him."

"Did something happen to him? I was worried when one of my kidnappers told me that Booth didn't deliver the ransom."

Sully seemed upset. "He's fine."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Even with her limited people skills, Brennan could see that he was lying. "You're scowling. Obviously something's wrong."

"I just wish you weren't so concerned about Booth. He failed you, Tempe. He wasn't there for you this time; I was."

"He's still my partner, Sully."

He bit his lip to keep himself from smiling. "Not anymore."

"What?"

"He was suspended from the FBI when they caught him stealing evidence. He'll never be able to work with you again."

"They can't assign me another partner," she said defiantly. "I won't work with anyone else."

"You won't have a choice. Remember that the Jeffersonian is a federally funded institution. If you won't cooperate with the Feds, they'll fire you."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm one of the top forensic anthropologists in the world, Sully. They can't fire me."

"Maybe not. But if you don't play their game, they can definitely make your life miserable. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless you don't go back at all. Stay with me, Temperance. I've missed you so much. I promise to show you the time of your life." He took her hands in his and smiled at her, but all she could think was that his smile paled in comparison to Booth's.

She pulled her hands out of his grasp. "I'm sorry, Sully, but I can't go with you. I can't leave my work."

His smile quickly faded. "Is it really your work that you can't leave? Or is it Booth?"

"It's both," she admitted. "You're a great guy, but I realized recently that I'm in love with Booth."

"Have you slept with him yet?" He didn't bother to disguise the pain in his voice. "Is he better than me?"

"That's none of your business, but no, I haven't. I haven't even told him how I feel."

"He'll never love you as much as I do. You were happy when we were together, weren't you?"

"Yes."

"Then let me make you happy again. I'll do anything for you, Temperance."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Alright. Take me home."

He held her hands again, but this time his grip was tighter. "I'm sorry, Tempe, but I can't let you go."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Booth, there's a man here to see you."

Zack had told him that the evidence the FBI had collected from Brennan's apartment was useless, so Booth was sitting on a couch in the lounge overlooking the lab, making a list of anyone who might want to harm him or Bones. He was so focused on this task that he hadn't even looked up when Angela walked in. "I'm busy right now, Angela."

She walked over to him and touched his arm lightly. "He says it's important...he says he has information about Brennan."

At the mention of his partner's name he quickly lifted his head. "Okay. Send him up."

She left, returning moments later with a man at her side. Booth studied the man's appearance. He had brown hair and eyes. He was short, in his mid to late thirties, and wearing clothes that had seen better days. He looked like an average guy–except for the guilt in his eyes. As Angela walked away, Booth motioned for the man to take a seat on the couch across from him. "I hear you have information about my partner."

The man stared at the floor, unable to look Booth in the eye. "Yes, I do. When I say what I have to say, I'm going to be in a lot of trouble, so I need you to promise me that the reward money will go to my wife. She has uterine cancer, and we really need the money for her medical bills...that's why I took the job in the first place."

Booth thought the man's voice sounded familiar. "What job is that, Mr...?"

"Stern. Matthew Stern. So do I have your word?"

"Yes. Tell me what you know about Dr. Brennan's disappearance."

Stern clasped his hands together and sighed heavily. "Alright. The job I took to help pay my wife's expenses...I was hired to kidnap Dr. Brennan."

_That's why I know your voice! You're the one who called me! _Booth wanted to grab him and throw him over the railing into the lab below. If he didn't die, he would at least be horribly injured, probably even paralyzed. The emotional center of his brain was screaming for blood, demanding that this guy pay the price for hurting her. The logical part of his brain, the part that sounded a lot like Bones, told him to calm down. _He can't talk if you kill him._ He forced himself to restrain his killer instinct, but it wasn't easy. His whole body was shaking with rage. "Go on."

"I thought it was a straight forward kidnapping for ransom. I took her from her apartment and brought her to my employer's boat. He helped me tie her up, we sailed off and I made the call to you to give you his demands. The next morning, I called my friend Jon Patterson to ask him to pick up the ransom. I knew he needed money too, so I was going to give him a cut. My employer gave me a phone number to give to Patterson to confirm the ransom had been delivered.

"But then things got...weird. After I called Patterson, I was planning on calling you next, but my employer told me to call the FBI first and tell them about the meeting. I was really confused, but I did it anyway. Then he told me later to tell her that you had failed to deliver the ransom. I was getting really nervous at this point." Stern started crying. "He told me when he hired me that she wouldn't get hurt. I never wanted her to be hurt, please believe me."

Booth felt so sick he thought he might vomit. _Is he going to tell me that he killed her? I will burn him alive and spit on his ashes._ "What happened next?"

"He told me to...to pretend that I was going to rape her so he could rush in and save her. He said we should stage a fight to make it look good, but I was so disgusted with him and myself that I actually hit him for real. He overpowered me, then he hit her on the head so hard that she passed out. He shouted "NO!" as if I had done it. I was lying on the floor in pain, but I got up to try to help her and he knocked me out. When I woke up, I was on a dock. I felt terrible about the whole thing, so I went to the FBI building to talk to you. They told me you were here, so...here I am." He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. "I'm so sorry, so so sorry."

Booth put his hands on Stern's shoulders and shook him. He could feel sorry for himself later. "The man who hired you–what's his name?"

"I don't know. I swear I don't know."

"ANGELA!" Booth yelled.

She ran to the lounge. "What? What happened?"

"This guy is going to describe someone to you. I need his face RIGHT NOW."

The intensity in his voice scared her. "Booth, I'm very good at what I do, but it's going to take a little time."

He forced himself to take a deep breath. "I know, I know. Please, just work as quickly as you can."

XXXXXXXXXX

Booth paced the lounge while Angela worked with Stern.

"Booth, can you stop for a minute? You're distracting me," she said.

"Sorry. Are you almost done?"

"Not yet. You asking me that question every thirty seconds is not helping."

"Sorry. I'll shut up now." He sat down on the couch, exhaustion threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept. There would be time to sleep later, once Bones was home again. _I haven't given up, Bones. I'm going to find you. I hope you haven't given up on me. _He remembered holding her after the Kenton incident, the feel of her body against his as he told her that everything was alright. _I plan to be holding you again soon._

"Oh my god!" Angela cried several minutes later as she looked at her finished sketch.

Booth leapt up from the couch."What? What is it?"

She turned the sketch so he could see it. His first reaction was surprise, followed immediately by anger. Violent, uncontrollable anger. "SULLY!"

**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A heartfelt thank you to Queen of Blank, Myralee8, xxhopexx, jade254, watchingthedarksky, Lifeguard and CalleighAryn for your reviews of Chapter 8. :)**

"I'm NOT staying with you, Sully." Angrily she pulled her hands out of his. "I'm going back to my life, my work, and my _partner_." _It's my fault that Booth was suspended_. _He stole evidence to save me. I'll have to convince the FBI to reinstate him. _

He looked at her sadly. "Is it really a life worth going back to? Think about it for a minute, Tempe. You spend your days staring at the pieces of murder victims, seeing in intimate detail the depraved things people do to each other. Then you come face to face with those sick bastards, and they tell you that you're wrong, that they didn't do it. Or you get them to admit it, and they try to justify their actions. They _had_ to shoot their husbands or wives because they were cheating on them. They _had _to stab their parents because they were too strict. They _had _to throw their kids against a concrete wall because they wouldn't stop crying." She could see the sorrow in his eyes. "You know a lot about death, Temperance. I'm offering to teach you about life. Let me show you how to live. Let me show you how to enjoy yourself."

_What gives him the right to tell me how I should live my life? _"I like my life, Sully. I _enjoy_ staring at the pieces of murder victims. I _enjoy_ finding out what happened to them and catching the person responsible. It doesn't matter if they deny it or try to justify it. I prove that they did it, and they go to jail before they have the chance to do it to someone else."

"As I've told you before, the work you do is important, I'm not saying it's not. But give someone else the chance to be the hero. You've worked so hard for so long; if you keep working at this pace, you'll burn yourself out. You deserve a break. Come away with me and give your body some time to relax. Have some fun. Do you even remember how to have fun?" He looked at her hungrily. _It's been so long since I've made love to you. Too long. _"I'll remind you."

Forcefully he pulled her body against his own and covered her lips with his. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. "Sully, stop."

He felt her struggling to free herself from his embrace, but he refused to let her go. "Come on, Temperance. We were so good at this. It can be that good again."

He was right; they had had good times together. _But that was before I realized that I loved Booth. _"NO."

Anger flashed across his face. "I saved your life. This is your chance to show me how grateful you are."

He was starting to scare her. "Booth has saved me more than you have...and he's never asked for anything in return."

"Because he's a coward," he spat. "He's lusted after you for years but he doesn't have the courage to do anything about it. So instead he sabotaged our relationship. He doesn't want you to be happy; he just wants you all to himself. He doesn't deserve you."

"You're wrong," she snapped. "It's not cowardice that holds him back; it's respect for me and our partnership. Booth is a great man and I love him. Nothing you can say or do will change that."

She had thought he was angry before, but it was nothing compared to the rage in his eyes now. "We'll see about that. I swear to God, Tempe, I will make you forget all about him. I'll have you shouting my name and begging for more."

He pushed her onto her back and straddled her while his hands grabbed her wrists, pinning them to her sides. He lowered his head to capture her mouth again, and for a few painful minutes she let him think that she was giving in. There had been a time when she had enjoyed his kisses, but there was no passion in them now, only anger and a desire to dominate her. The change in his behavior repelled her, but she forced herself to kiss him back. When she sensed that he was letting his guard down, she bit him so hard that she drew blood.

He yelped in surprise, releasing her right wrist so that he had a hand free to hit her. As he slapped her across the face, she grabbed his wrist and applied pressure until she heard a satisfying crack. He shouted in pain and instinctively let go of her other wrist to cradle his injured one. Now that she had both of her hands free, she attacked his face with her fingernails. Cursing, he rolled off of her. She kicked him in the groin and leapt off of the bed.

_I need to get out of here, _she thought as she ran along the length of the ship. Soon she heard Sully's footsteps behind her. "You have nowhere to go," he called out tauntingly. "We're at least a hundred miles from the nearest port."

_There has to be a lifeboat or raft or some sort of emergency equipment somewhere. If not, then I'll jump overboard and start swimming. I refuse to spend another minute on this goddamn boat._ She spotted a raft up ahead and was close enough to touch it when she felt Sully's arm around her waist–and a needle jabbed in her side. _He was the one drugging me all along! He didn't rescue me at all!_

Sully gently lowered her onto the deck. As she tried desperately not to lose consciousness again, he held her hand and spoke softly. " I forgive you for your little outburst; I know you only attacked me because Booth poisoned you against me. I didn't want to have to drug you again. You can't shout my name if you're unconscious! I want to be able to hear you moan when I make love to you; I want to see the love in your eyes. Go ahead and rest now. We'll try this again when you wake up."

XXXXXXXXXX

Booth had the entire Coast Guard out looking for the _Temperance. _Of course, he wasn't going to sit around waiting for news while other people searched for his Bones. He chartered a boat to take him to the coordinates Stern had given him, the _Temperance_'s last known location. When they arrived at their destination, however, the boat was gone. _I guess it was too much to hope for that they would hold their position. Where would he take her? Back to the Caribbean? _Trusting his gut, he ordered the captain to sail in that direction. On their way he stopped every boat they encountered, asking if they had seen the _Temperance. _

He was starting to feel like Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. He had been forced to read parts of Moby Dick in high school, and he remembered being bored by the repetitiveness of Ahab's quest. _Every stupid ship they see he asks the same thing:"Have you seen the white whale?" I can't wait until they find the whale and it kills them all. _Now, however, he could appreciate Ahab's determination and thirst for revenge. _When I find Sully I'm going to kill him. If he hurt her, I'll torture him first. He wouldn't hurt her, would he? No, he wants her to think he's a hero who saved her life. He wouldn't hurt her...unless maybe she found out that he set this whole thing up and confronted him. She would attack him and he would defend himself. Please, God, please let her be safe._

Booth could tell the boat's captain was getting annoyed with him, but he didn't care. He continued to question every ship they saw. Eventually his persistence paid off; someone had seen the _Temperance _a half hour earlier. Booth ordered the captain to change their course to intercept them. When they finally spotted the boat in the distance, relief washed over him. _Hold on, Bones. I'm coming. _He ordered the captain to stop a few hundred yards from the _Temperance_; he didn't want Sully getting spooked. He swam out to the boat and stealthily boarded it.

XXXXXXXXXX

When Temperance woke up, she discovered that she was tied to the bed. Sully was standing at the foot of the bed, watching her. She noticed that he had taped his injured wrist.

"Glad to see that you're finally awake. I'm sorry about the ropes, but they seemed necessary after our last encounter. I'm sure we won't need them next time."

"Next time? How long are you planning on keeping me here?"

"Keeping you here? You've got it all wrong, Tempe. This is your home now."

_Like hell it is. I'll never stop fighting you. Sooner or later I will find a way out. _"If you really loved me, you would let me go."

"IF I really loved you?" He said angrily. "Of course I love you! And you love me, too; you've just forgotten that. No matter how long it takes, I WILL make you remember." He moved towards her, but stopped suddenly. Had he imagined it, or had he really heard footsteps on the deck above?

Temperance heard the footsteps too. _Booth. It has to be. _She was starting to believe in the existence of a benevolent God.

Sully ran to a bureau beside the bed. He opened the top drawer and took out his gun. He quickly untied her and pulled her body in front of his, wrapping one arm around her waist and pressing the gun to her forehead.

When Booth entered the lower deck, his gun drawn, the sight that greeted him turned his blood cold–Sully was using his partner as a human shield.

"Don't come any closer, Booth," Sully ordered. "You take another step and she's dead."

**Thanks for reading! Only one more chapter to go; I promise a happy, fluffy ending.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks so much to Aria-wolfstar, Myralee8, CalleighAryn, watchingthedarksky, Lifeguard, jade254 and bb-4ever for your reviews. I hope you enjoy the last chapter!**

_NO!_ Booth's mind screamed. He could feel his heart breaking as he looked into the terrified eyes of his partner. _I've come this far. I won't lose her now. _"Alright. I won't come any closer. You don't have to hurt her, Sully. I know you don't want to; you love her too much for that."

Sully tightened his grip on her waist. "You're right; I do love her–and she used to love me back until you got in the way. YOU stole her from me!"

"I didn't steal--"

"Don't lie to me, Booth," Sully interrupted. "I was lonely in the Caribbean, so I came back to DC a few weeks ago. I stopped by the Jeffersonian to surprise Temperance and I saw the two of you together. You had your arm around her and you were laughing. You're not laughing now, are you?"

_My god, he's completely lost it. He might be crazy enough to pull the trigger. _"No, I'm not laughing. I've been living in hell since you kidnapped my partner and ruined my career. You've had your revenge, so let her go."

"No. I'd rather have her dead than in your arms."

"You can't reason with him, Booth," Brennan interjected. "You're going to have to shoot him."

"If you shoot at me, you might hit your partner," Sully said, clearly enjoying Booth's agony. "If I go down, she goes down with me."

"It's the only way," Brennan argued. "Take the shot."

"No!" He answered emphatically. "I'm not risking your life."

"But--"

"I can't, Bones."

"See that, Tempe?" Sully said with a smirk. "He never listens to you."

"Do it!" Brennan cried. "It's the only logical--"

"Screw logic! I'm not going to do anything that puts you in danger."

"Because you're a coward," Sully taunted.

"Because I LOVE HER!" Booth shouted. _Oh god. For two years I've wanted to tell her how I feel about her; for two years I've waited for the right moment. Screaming at her when she has a gun pointed at her head wasn't exactly what I had in mind._

Sully shook his head violently. "No, you don't get to love her. You had two years to make your move. You had your chance and you wasted it. Now she's mine, and I'm not letting you take her away again." He pulled the gun away from Temperance and pointed it at Booth.

_He's going to kill Booth! I can't let that happen! _As soon as Temperance felt the gun leave her forehead she sprang into action. She jabbed her elbow into the arm holding the gun, causing Sully to drop it. She spun around quickly and kicked him square in the chest. As he fell backwards he hit his head on the deck and lost consciousness.

"Damn it, Bones," Booth said as he lowered his gun.

She turned at the sound of his voice. "What?"

"I wanted to be the one to kick his ass," he whined

"Oh. Sorry."

Grinning widely, he hurried towards her and pulled her into his embrace, savoring the feel of her body against his. _I almost lost her. She could have died just now, but she didn't. She's alive and in my arms. Thank you, thank you God. _"It feels so good to hold you again."

She clung to him tightly. "It feels good to be held."

After a few minutes of rubbing her back and speaking words of comfort, he pulled back to face her. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Well, he drugged me and tried to rape me--"

Booth's face darkened, his eyes flashing with fury. "That sonofabitch! I'll--"

She held up a hand to stop him. "He didn't succeed. I broke his wrist and scratched his face and kicked him in the groin."

He laughed and hugged her again. "That's my girl."

_Your girl? _This time she pulled back first. "Booth, when you told Sully that you loved me, did you mean it?"

He reached out his right hand to touch her cheek. "Of course I meant it. I've loved you for a long time now. I promised myself that when I found you I would tell you. Sorry I didn't say it sooner."

She smiled at him. No one had ever made her feel as loved as he did. "It's okay. I love you too."

He leaned in towards her until his lips touched hers. The meeting of their lips was light and gentle at first, but as they surrendered to their emotions it soon became the most intense kiss either had ever experienced. Both had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and neither wanted it to end. Only fear of suffocation forced them apart a couple minutes later.

"That was even better than I thought it would be," Booth said breathlessly.

She smiled. "Have long have you been thinking about kissing me?"

"Two years, four months, one week, and five days," He answered without hesitation.

Brennan paused to do some calculations. "Booth...that's how long we've known each other."

He gave her his best charm smile. "Exactly." He put his arm around her shoulders. "There's a boat waiting to take us home. Are you ready?"

She laughed. "More than ready."

He picked Sully up off the floor and handcuffed him. _What the hell were you thinking, Sully? No one messes with my partner...or should I say my beautiful, intelligent, ass-kicking new girlfriend._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Do you think that he's found her yet?" Angela asked Hodgins and Zack. The three of them appeared to be working, but they were too worried about Brennan to concentrate.

"Maybe," Zack responded. "If not, I'm sure he will soon. Booth doesn't give up."

"I still can't believe Sully would do something like this. First she goes out with a guy who killed his own brother and blamed it on a ghost, and now this? I hope the next guy she dates doesn't turn out to be a psycho too," Angela said. "She's had enough heartache to fill a couple lifetimes. I know she hates psychology, but maybe she could start having her dates fill out some sort of mental health questionnaire."

Zack seemed to consider this for a moment before answering. "Sounds reasonable to me."

"I'd hate to be in Sully's shoes now," Hodgins said with a smile. "Booth is going to kick his ass good."

"If Brennan hasn't done it already," Angela added. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a young woman running towards them. "Who's that?"

"That's Tracy," Zack answered. "She's a lab tech. She started working here last week."

"Zack, have you heard the news?" Tracy asked as she ran up to him.

"Is it about Dr. Brennan?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah. She's fine. Agent Booth found her. I just got a call from my sister Carrie; she said they're talking about her on CNN."

Angela enveloped Hodgins and Zack in a hug. "Thanks, Tracy," Zack said as he, Hodgins and Angela sprinted to the nearest television and turned it to the correct channel.

"Dr. Temperance Brennan, the best-selling author of Bred to the Bone and other crime novels, has been found," a female reporter declared triumphantly. "Our sources tell us that the Coast Guard received a call from FBI agent Seeley Booth, Dr. Brennan's partner, informing them that they could call off their search."

The reporter paused and put a hand to her ear. "I've just received word that we have footage from a local news helicopter showing Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan on a boat returning to the DC area." The image of Booth and Brennan standing on the top deck of a boat, holding and kissing each other, filled the screen. "Wow!" The clearly surprised reporter gushed. "I guess fan speculation that Agent Booth was the inspiration for the character of Andy may be valid after all."

Angela gasped. "Are they really doing what I think they're doing?"

"If you think they're making out, then yes," Hodgins answered, smiling broadly.

"OH MY GOD!" Angela shrieked, jumping into the air. "Go Booth! Go Brennan!"

Hodgins turned expectantly to Zack. "It took less than five years, man–you owe me a hundred bucks."

XXXXXXXXXX

At the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building, the CNN broadcast was provoking similar shouts of glee as a large group of agents surrounded a television, expressing their happiness for the new couple and collecting money from their bets.

Agent Jim Ryan was ecstatic. "Didn't I tell you they would get together soon? I knew he couldn't deny his feelings much longer. I'm so happy for you, Booth!"

"Are you all watching closely, gentlemen?" Agent Katherine Hartford yelled. "Now THAT is how a man should kiss." A few female agents shouted in agreement.

"What's going on in here?" Deputy Director Cullen demanded as he entered the crowded room. "I could hear people screaming all the way down the hall." Everyone turned in his direction and fell silent. Several agents moved so Cullen could see what they were watching. "Oh. I see. Way to go, Booth; it's about time!" Laughter filled the room as Cullen walked towards the television for a closer look.

XXXXXXXXXX

Booth was snuggling with Brennan on the couch in her apartment when his cell phone rang. His first instinct was to ignore it, but when he saw it was Cullen he answered it.

"What did he say?" Brennan asked after the phone call ended.

"He said I have my job back," Booth answered happily. "Sully confessed to setting me up, and since I didn't actually steal evidence or break Kenton out of federal custody I've been cleared."

"That's wonderful, Booth. I wouldn't want to work with anyone but you." She threw her arms around him and rested her head on his chest. "What's going to happen to Sully?"

"He'll be charged with kidnapping, extortion, and assault at the very least. His accomplice Matthew Stern- the man you said was nice to you- will get a reduced sentence in exchange for his testimony." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. When Stern told you that I didn't deliver the ransom, you must have thought I let you down--"

"Don't punish yourself," she interrupted. "I knew that you would keep trying until you found me. You've never let me down, Booth."

He took her face in his hands and kissed her. "You know, Bones, considering how frequently you find yourself in life threatening situations, I was thinking that I should get you a personal bodyguard."

"_You_ are my bodyguard," she said, gazing into his eyes. "Will you stay with me tonight? You can make sure I don't get kidnapped from my bedroom again."

He grinned. "Of course, Bones. I'll stay with you as long as you'd like. You know that I'll always be here for you, right?"

"I know. It's one of the many things I love about you."

He kissed her again. "Bones...Temperance...there is something I should tell you, something else that Cullen said on the phone."

"Is something wrong?"

"Well...not exactly. He congratulated us on our television appearance. You remember that helicopter that flew overhead when we were sailing back to DC? It was a news helicopter, and it took footage of us kissing on the boat. Apparently half the FBI saw it on CNN. If the squints saw it too, that would explain why Angela was giggling when I called to tell her that you were safe. Anyway, going to work tomorrow might be a little...uncomfortable."

"You're right. Let's take the day off," she suggested.

Booth thought he might have hallucinated. "Temperance Brennan taking a day off? What will you do with yourself?"

She flashed him a seductive grin. "I'm sure we can think of a few things to pass the time."

He instantly returned her smile. "You never stop surprising me, Bones. That's one of the many things I love about _you_."

She brought her lips to his for a long, lingering kiss. When it ended, she untangled her arms from his and stood up. "It's getting late. I should go to bed."

Booth's arms felt empty without her. He didn't want to see her go, but he told himself that he was being selfish. _She's had a rough day; she deserves a good night's sleep. _"Okay. Good night, Bones."

She held out her hand to him. "I'd feel safer if my bodyguard came with me."

Smiling, he took her hand. "As you wish."

They lay in bed together, his arm wrapped lovingly around her waist, until they drifted into a peaceful, nightmare-free sleep.

FINIS

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